Each year brings new challenges in commercial real estate,
but along with them come new opportunities. It is precisely these opportunities
that will add value to your CCIM Institute membership this year and well into
the future. I'm honored to be serving as your 2006 president and to be one of
the first to introduce some of the exciting new initiatives that currently are
underway.
For more than 30 years the institute has provided the
commercial real estate industry's premier educational resources, and this year
we will embark on a journey to further improve the quality and delivery of
those programs. Last fall the institute's board of directors approved a
detailed plan to redesign our educational curriculum during the next four
years. This process, which already has begun, will allow the institute to
create state-of-the-art educational programs that provide students with the
knowledge and skills they need to make key commercial real estate investment
decisions in today's marketplace. Since the designation education's last revision
in 1995, tremendous changes have occurred in our membership demographics and
professional mix, including rapid international growth. These factors combined
with technological advances and changes in commercial real estate brokerage
services make this the right time to update our educational offerings. The
benefits of this project are invaluable for existing CCIM designees and
candidates, and I look forward to updating you on our progress throughout the
year.
Another new benefit you'll see this year is a
completely
redesigned CCIM Web site. The institute is reorganizing CCIM.com's
content and
improving the site's navigation process. Soon several of our online
resources
will be easier to find through the new "My CCIM" portal. This feature
will provide faster access to members-only areas, including CCIMNet and
STDB-Online, which will help to increase your business efficiency.
While many new programs are on the horizon, I also plan
to concentrate my efforts on fueling the success of existing programs. For
instance, CCIM Partners continues to grow as more designees take part in the
formalized business-building network. All designees in good standing are
eligible to become Partners, so be sure to turn to page 18 for more details
about the network's benefits. In addition, the Cultural Diversity Education
program continues to make large strides. More than 450 students have completed
the CCIM Intro course since the program was founded four years ago, and the
institute continues to seek new ways to encourage cultural diversity in the
commercial real estate profession. The membership marketing campaign we
launched last year is yielding impressive results - membership is on the rise
and the designation is gaining greater exposure throughout the industry.
Without a doubt, this is an exciting time to be involved
in the CCIM Institute, and I look forward to guiding our leadership and staff
through this very productive phase. I'm privileged to be working with a highly
skilled group of CCIM colleagues, including President-Elect Joseph A. Fisher,
CCIM, and First Vice President Tim Hatlestad, CCIM. Together we look forward to
adding quality and value to your membership in our organization.